Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Bob Ferguson

AGO 1967 NO. 22 >

The judge appointed to fill the new superior court judgeship created in Snohomish county by § 3, chapter 84, Laws of 1967, Ex. Sess., is entitled, after June 8, 1967, to receive the $22,500 annual salary established for superior court judges under chapter 65, Laws of 1967.

AGO 1953 NO. 22 >

Pension benefits due a retired supreme court judge under RCW 2.12 are assignable.Such an assignment may be revoked at any time before the payments become due and a subsequent assignment will be effective.

AGO 1988 NO. 23 >

1.The Commission on Judicial Conduct is not required to make public informal admonishments of judges, unless such informal admonishments arise out of a hearing or proceeding required by law to be public.2.When a judge waives confidentiality as to an investigation by the Commission on Judicial Conduct, the law requires the fact that there is an investigation to be made public; however, the Commission retains authority to determine whether other aspects of the investigation will be kept confidential.

AGO 1978 NO. 24 >

(1) If only one candidate files for a given district court position, a primary election will nevertheless be required to be held in accordance with the general provisions of chapter 29.21 RCW because neither RCW 29.21.015 nor Article IV, § 29 (Amendment 41) of the state constitution are applicable.  (2) If there is a contested primary election for the position of district court judge, the two candidates receiving the greatest number of votes are both to have their names placed on the general election ballot in accordance with RCW 29.21.150 even though one of those candidates receives a majority of the votes cast for the position at the primary.    (3) There is no statutory provision applicable to district court judges which requires that a candidate receive a given percentage of the total votes cast at a nominating primary in order to have his name appear on the general election ballot.  (4) Because of the inapplicability of RCW 29.21.010 to the election of district court judges, the names of candidates for that office need not be listed alphabetically on the primary ballot.  (5) For the same reason, there is no statutory requirement (insofar as the election of district court judges is concerned) that the various candidates' names appear on the general election ballot in sequence relating to the number of votes each candidate received in the primary election.

AGLO 1982 NO. 27 >

An individual, upon becoming a judge or justice within the state judicial system by reason of his or her election to such office, should be deemed to be subject to the jurisdiction of the Judicial Qualifications Commission and to possible disciplinary action by the Supreme Court under Article IV, § 31 (Amendment 71) of the state constitution for a violation of Canon 7 of the Code of Judicial Conduct occurring during the election campaign and prior to the individual becoming a judge.

AGO 1988 NO. 29 >

1.A county may lawfully eliminate its provision of medical, dental, and life insurance benefits to its superior court judges when the judges, who are also state officers, receive similar benefits from the state.2.Where superior court judges as state officers are receiving health and life insurance benefits from the state, a county is not legally required to provide superior court judges with the same type of benefits, whether or not the state benefits are as comprehensive as those offered by the county to its other officers and employees.

AGLO 1973 NO. 36 >

Definition of "lobbying" by a state court judge under §§ 16 and 19 on Initiative 276; registration and reporting requirements

AGLO 1976 NO. 51 >

RCW 29.21.015, as amended by § 2, chapter 120, Laws of 1975-76, 2nd Ex. Sess., does not apply to the election of superior court and appellate court judges so as to mean that if only two candidates have filed for a given position as judge of the superior court or court of appeals no primary will be held and, instead, the names of both candidates will be required to appear on the ensuing general election ballot.

AGLO 1975 NO. 73 >

Necessity of an election in November, 1975, for unexpired terms of superior and district court judges in Whatcom county under certain described circumstances.

AGO 1961 NO. 75 >

In view of the enactment of chapter 181, Laws of 1973, 1st Ex. Sess., establishing a $300 per month minimum with respect to the pensions payable to certain retired municipal firemen and law enforcement officers and their survivors, this figure now constitutes the minimum basis to be used in computing the annual two percent cost of living pension increases provided for in RCW 41.16.145, RCW 41.18.104, and RCW 41.26.250.